Krems, with a population of 23,947, is the fifth-largest city in Lower Austria. The established town charter from 1305 is a testament to the impressive growth of the medieval city of Krems from its first days as a settlement to a territorial city with special privileges. The twin cities of Krems-Stein have continued to grow since that era, with trade and winegrowing serving as a foundation for dynamic growth. The courtyards, churches, and houses were erected by the best builders in the country, and the prospering city has served as a destination for many artists and craftsmen since the middle ages. Education was a priority for the citizens, and they successfully were able to offer their sons and daughters with access to primary schools and universities. Even in the 21st Century, Krems continues to be a flourishing economic, cultural, and academic center as well as a major European wine city at the gateway to the Wachau. Krems has also earned international recognition in historical preservation, with the inclusion of the old city of Krems and Stein as part of the Wachau in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Historical Legacy

The famous baroque monasteries in Melk and Göttweig lie respectively at the entrance and exit of the Wachau, the medieval ruins in Aggstein and Dürnstein are both legendary and historical, the old cities of Krems and Stein will provide you with a sense of their prosperous past, and Dürnstein is the epitome of the Wachau.

In the Waldviertel, the monasteries in Zwettl, Altenburg, and Geras as well as the magnificent Rosenburg castle await visitors.

The nearby Schloss Grafenegg hosts concerts throughout the year and is where the culmination of the summer music festival occurs with some of the world's finest orchestras.

Including a baroque festival in Melk, opera festival performances in Gars, Shakespeare in Roseburg castle, operettas in Schloss Haindorf, and summer games in Melk, a broad collection of cultural events attracts visitors through the season. With Vienna nearby, you can also attend world-class opera and theater performances from Dürnstein. We would gladly help you arrange such a trip by helping organize tickets or providing you with event information.

The Schallaburg castle in Melk is one of the best exhibit spaces in Austria. Every year, a new exhibit theme is presented: the topics range from the "Treasures of Peru" and "Imperial China” to the "First World War.” Krems offers the Weinstadtmuseum (city museum), the Gozzoburg, the Kunsthalle (art museum), and the Karikaturmuseum (caricature museum). Weissenkirchen houses the Wachau museum in the Teisenhoferhof, and Spitz has a very interesting ship museum. There is an Ancient Rome museum in Mautern (formerly Favianis), and Artstetten castle near Maria Taferl is the resting place of Franz Ferdinand and houses the Archduke Franz Ferdinand Museum. There is a freemason museum in Schloss Rosenau, a clock museum in Karlstein, a sundial exhibition in Weiten, and you can find Austria’s “Valhalla” in Heldenberg.